Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs): Energy Efficiency Opportunities

David Gibson Senior Technical Advisor

SAIC, an Ameren Illinois ActOnEnergy Partner

Quiz Questions: What do you already know about energy efficiency options for Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)?

1. Which of the following best describes a benefit of VFDs?

2. What is the typical frequency adjustment range in HVAC applications for VFDs?

3. What is the current ActOnEnergy incentive amount ($/hp) for installing VFDs?

Topics

• What is a VFD?

• Energy Efficiency Opportunities

• ActOnEnergy Program Incentives

• Project Examples

• Questions

3

What is a VFD?

A Variable Frequency Drive is like the throttle on a car…

• It adjusts the speed of an HVAC fan or pump motor, based on demand, to save energy and prolong motor and mechanical component life

• Without a VFD, an HVAC fan or pump motor is either 100% ‘on’ or 100% ‘off’

• A VFD eliminates the initial power surge and mechanical shock of switching the motor from ‘off’ to ‘on’

• A VFD conserves energy when an HVAC control system senses that a fan or pump motor can meet heating or cooling needs by running at less than 100% power

4

How does a VFD work?

• A VFD changes the speed of an AC HVAC fan or pump motor by adjusting the frequency

• Typical frequency adjustment range in HVAC applications is from 10 - 60Hz AC. A VFD is wired in series between main power and motor.

• A Bypass is added to “Bypass” the VFD and run on main line power so HVAC operation is not interrupted if the VFD needs servicing

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How does a VFD save energy?

Affinity Laws:

• Flow vs Speed

• Q1/Q2 = S1/S2

• Head vs Speed

• H1/H2 = S12/S2

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• hp vs Speed

• bhp1/bhp2 = S13/S2

3

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What industry segment does your facility represent?

Centrifugal Fans

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Typical Centrifugal Fan System

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% Flow

% I

np

ut

Po

we

r

Theoretical Fan Curve

VFD

Outlet Damper

Variable Inlet Vane

100% Flow

Centrifugal Pumps

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Typical Centrifugal Low-Head, Low-Friction Pump System

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

% Flow

% In

pu

t Po

wer

Theoretical Pump Curve

VFD

Throttling Valve

Recirc / Bypass

ActOnEnergy Program Incentives

• VFD energy savings typically 30-70%

• Up to 500 hp - $90/hp (Standard)

• > 500 hp – 8 cents/kWh annual savings (Custom) • Pre-approval required if over $10,000 incentive

• ActOnEnergy will pay 75% of the installed (external labor) cost of the

project (Standard)

• Only for centrifugal fans and pumps. All other uses would need to use a Custom application

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Program Eligibility Requirements

• 2,000 operating hours/year minimum

• Must be installed on an AC Motor

• Redundant/backup units do not qualify • Routine VFD replacements do not qualify

• System must be controlled by differential pressure, flow, temperature, or

other control variable

• Application must have significant load diversity

• Applications meant for power conditioning and other non-varying loads do not qualify

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Standard Application Input Data

• VFD Use (CT fan, CHW distribution pump)

• Control Before VFD (outlet control valve)

• Cost of VFD plus external labor

• Annual Operating Hours

• hp controlled by VFD

• Energy savings calculation not required

• W-9 form is required with the incentive application

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Fans Pumps

Induced/forced draft

fans

Chilled water pumps

Supply air fans Feed water pumps

Return fans Pressure boosting pumps

Cooling tower fans Cooling tower pumps

Condenser fans Wastewater pumps

Ventilation fans Food processing pumps

Dryer fans Water injection pumps

Some Standard VFD Applications

ActOnEnergy: Custom Projects

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Custom Incentives

Energy Savings Incentive Lighting $0.06/kWh Other electric $0.08/kWh

Gas $1.20/Therm

Minimum Payback (before and after incentive)

1.0 years

Maximum Payback (before and after incentive)

7.0 years

• Cap of $600,000 (electric) and $600,000 (gas) per facility per year

• Cash incentives paid at rate of 50% after facility receives $200,000

• Incentive capped at 50% of project cost

• Pre-approval always required

• Incentives >$25,000 require Large Incentive Request Form

Reciprocating compressors

Conveyors

Cranes

Extruders

Hoists

Mixers

Positive displacement pumps

Screw pumps/compressors

Some Custom VFD Applications

Program Participation

• Approximately 200 Standard and Custom projects to date (PY1-PY4)

• Nearly 60 million kWh in annual energy savings

• Assuming 10 cents/kWh, business customers have saved $6 million in annual

energy costs

• Approximately $3 million in program incentives

• 35 participants have implemented multiple VFD projects • Manufacturing/industrial leads the way with 58% of overall participation • Healthcare (7%) and Grocery/Big Box Retail (10%) are also active participants

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Life Cycle Costs

• > 70% of life cycle investment is energy cost

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Investment

Maintenance

Energy

Energy

Maintenance

Investment

Example Project: Condenser Fan VFD Project

• Condenser Fans

• 2 - 5 hp fans with no control

• Run 1 fan at 100% and the second at 0% • Power is equal to 5 hp

• Run both fans with VFDs at 50% speed • Power is equal to speed cubed

• 0.53 = 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 = .125 x 2 fans = 0.25

• 0.25 x 5 hp = 1.25 hp

• Savings = 75%

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Example Project: Fan VFD Project

• Process Fans

• 2 - 200 hp VFD controlled

• Project cost: $75,653

• Annual energy savings: 400,000 kWh

• ActOnEnergy incentive $36,000

• % of project cost covered by incentive: 40%

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Example Project: Pump VFD Project

• Cooling Tower

• 1 - 60 hp VFD controlled

• Project cost: $14,381

• Annual energy savings: 154,000 kWh (60%)

• ActOnEnergy incentive $5,400

• % of project cost covered by incentive: 30%

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• Website: ActOnEnergy.com/Business

• Phone: 866-800-0747

• Fax: 309-677-7950

• Email: ActOnEnergyBusiness@Ameren.com

Resources

Quiz Questions: What do you already know about energy efficiency options for Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)?

1. Which of the following best describes a benefit of VFDs?

2. What is the typical frequency adjustment range in HVAC applications for VFDs?

3. What is the current ActOnEnergy incentive amount ($/hp) for installing VFDs?

Questions???